Hunter Biden says Republicans ‘have weaponized my dad’s love for me’

Hunter Biden, President Biden’s son, accused GOP leaders on Wednesday of weaponizing his father’s love for him to use it as “evidence of corrupt complicity,” amid their probe into the family’s financial dealings, according to a report.

The younger Biden told Axios that Republicans “weaponized my dad’s love for me and turned his greatest strengths — his compassion, his empathy, his authenticity — into evidence of corrupt complicity.”

“They’ve made it really hard for people to square that circle, which is why the [former President Trump’s] cult is obsessed with me,” he added.

The president’s son made a brief appearance Wednesday at the Capitol, where he gave a public statement instead of appearing for a scheduled deposition following a subpoena from House Republicans.

Hunter Biden said he wanted to testify in a public setting, while Republicans sought a closed-door deposition as part of its investigation into the president. Part of their inquiry looked into his foreign business dealings and how the Biden family may have benefited as a result of the president’s status.

Republicans have used his refusal to sit for a closed deposition as another argument for its impeachment inquiry into the president, which the House formally approved in a party-line vote — 221-212 — on Wednesday night.

The younger Biden on Wednesday reiterated his father was not “financially involved” in his business, pushing back against GOP allegations that as vice president, he acted in Ukraine with the motivation of benefitting his son’s business.

Hunter Biden told Axios he feels he has “two equal responsibilities now.”

“The first is staying clean and sober, and the second is defending my dad,” he reportedly said. “My mistakes are in spite of him — not a reflection of him. And that’s why I need to call out their lies as loud and often as possible going forward.”

Sources familiar with Hunter Biden’s team told Axios he believes responses to the ongoing attacks will actually benefit President Biden’s reputation and standing with voters.

House Oversight Chair James Comer (Ky.) and House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (Ohio) — The two Republicans spearheading the investigation — pledged Wednesday to hold Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress after he did not appear for the deposition.